Airport logistics

Fast, high-performant and extremely energy-efficient: new Siemens tray and additional modules for baggage handling systems

  • Entire portfolio for major transfer airports further enhanced
  • Lower operating costs thanks to special design and reduced weight
  • Space-saving solution makes efficient use of valuable floor space

Siemens Postal, Parcel & Airport Logistics (SPPAL) has extended and enhanced its entire tray portfolio for baggage handling systems. The solution for airports with large numbers of transfer passengers is a world leader in respect to energy efficiency, speed and throughput: with their unique design, the Siemens trays can reach top speeds of up to ten meters per second. The new systems have some of the highest throughput rates worldwide, for example up to 19,200 baggage items per hour at Terminal 3 in Beijing.

The energy efficiency of the baggage handling solution sets a benchmark for the entire industry as the conveyor belts under the trays run on rollers to prevent sliding friction between the belts and the conveyors. The considerably reduced weight of the new trays helps to lower energy costs even further. Thanks to their robust design featuring a guiding roller and, depending on the model, an additional steel running surface, wear and tear are kept to a minimum. This results in above-average operating times, which in turn has a positive impact on lifecycle costs.

To meet the specific needs of its customers, Siemens offers trays in different sizes: small, medium, and an out-of-gauge version for transporting bulky items such as surfboards or skis. A screenable tray allows the integration of state-of-the-art X-ray devices to further increase security at airports. All trays are equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) and reach the right destination with an almost 100 percent reliability rate. The extra-high back ends prevent bags from slipping off and make for a particularly smooth and safe transportation.

Besides the trays themselves, Siemens has also enhanced the entire tray system with important innovative modules, as well as further developing existing components. In doing so, it has focused on space-saving solutions that make the best possible use of valuable floor space at airports:

  • The very scalable SmartTilter offers extremely high throughput rates of almost 3,000 trays an hour.
  • The TilterPlus tilts bags to two sides and can thus serve two directions at once; this module is the ideal solution for medium capacities of up to 1,500 trays per hour.
  • Siemens is the only market player to offer a divert and merge with a continuously centered tray guidance system, thus combining highest speeds with exceptional reliability.
  • The new rectangular transfer takes up much less space than traditional curves and is a key element of the innovative, multi-level early bag store from Siemens.
  • The S-lift moves the trays in the baggage handling system vertically up or down, reducing space requirements to a minimum.
  • The line stacker stacks empty trays and allows them to be stored in a particularly space-saving and energy-efficient way.
  • The SmarTray is used to automatically inspect tray systems and is an excellent way of providing condition-based, preventive maintenance.

In the early 1970s, Siemens was the first company to utilize trays in baggage handling systems. Since then, it has installed systems like these all over the world with a combined length of several hundred kilometers. European customers include the international airports in Frankfurt, Milan, Paris, and Madrid. In the Middle East, Siemens has built one of the world's largest tray systems for Dubai International Airport. In Asia, the airports in Kuala Lumpur, Beijing and Incheon in South Korea operate tray systems from Siemens. Another installation is at the parcel service provider UPS in the U.S. city of Louisville.

A string of recent orders testifies to the high level of ongoing demand for this Siemens solution. At present, the new terminals of the aviation hubs in Incheon and in Guangzhou (China) are being equipped with state-of-the-art tray systems from Siemens.

Experienced Siemens specialists work together with the customer to determine which technology is best for which airport. This mostly depends on the volume of passengers and the complexity of the processes. While purely domestic airports normally only use conveyors, regional hubs often require additional sorting technology. Major airports with a high number of transfer passengers are increasingly opting for the faster and more energy-efficient tray technology from Siemens.

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